Love in Action: #blacklivesmatter

I will never disagree with the statement that the end times are coming. In fact, with each passing day we get closer to the day that Jesus returns. 

Jesus says no one knows the day or the hour (Matt. 24:36) and I rest in that. I know that between pandemics, murder hornets, a cold sun, and this historic time of protesting racial discrimination, that it may seem like Jesus is coming back tomorrow - and that may be the case! 

But I also know that our world is so much bigger than what is going on in America and that this world has been through so much; the World Wars, for example. I’m confident many people felt that Jesus was coming at any moment during that time in our history. However, if you do believe that Jesus is coming tomorrow, don’t let that be a reason for silence. Don’t let that be a reason to toss your hands in the air and say “it’s okay, Jesus is coming soon.” If Jesus is coming tomorrow what do you want Him to see you doing in response to chaos in the world?! Do you want Him to see you sitting on your couch saying that these things don’t matter? People matter to Jesus. So they should matter to you. Yes, every day that passes is a day closer to getting to see Jesus. And that is amazing! And I don’t know about you but I, even as a white person, am so exhausted from all of this. So I’d happily see Him walk into a room right now.

Don’t let that be a reason to toss your hands in the air and say “it’s okay, Jesus is coming soon.”

I have had fear of speaking up, myself, to my Facebook friends and internet community, because I didn’t believe the potential conflict with family and friends was going to be worth it. But it’s worth it. Last night, at the AZ Churches Stand Together for Black Lives event I heard a speaker preach, “silence leaves space for the enemy to put something else there”. So if my silence has let you assume that I don’t stand with my black brothers and sisters in Christ, I’m sorry. Because I believe that the treatment of black Americans in this country often is and has been wrong for a long time. I am heartbroken. And of course I’m completely saddened by the reaction to the cops that are trying to protect protesters and their communities. My prayer everyday has been: Jesus, break my heart for what breaks Yours. And my heart is BROKEN, y’all. I’m afraid that in my wanting to be liked I have failed to love others. But I can’t do that anymore. 

Further, we can’t be afraid that loving others is going to fulfill someone else’s political agenda. I don’t care if it does. Because this is NOT about politics. It’s about people. People that Jesus loves. People that Jesus died for. For years, my conservative friends have thought me to be too liberal and my liberal friends that I’m too conservative. And I gotta tell y’all: I believe to the bottom of my heart, that is a good thing. But this isn’t about me. And this is NOT about the politicians and media outlets who try to make statements like mine today about their political parties!

we can’t be afraid that loving others is going to fulfill someone else’s political agenda.

I cannot stay silent when people that Jesus loves - people that I love - are living in fear. If I benefit from systemic racism and I am privileged with a voice that is louder than the voice of BIPOC, then this is what I have to say: love is an ACTION, a VERB, NOT A FEELING. You can’t say you love people without doing something about it. 

If nothing else, I encourage you to seek knowledge and opinions different than your own. We cannot say someone doesn’t have a right to feel a certain way, you have only lived life as yourself and I’ve only lived a life as myself, no one else. Therefore we have no right to decide someone’s emotion is unjustified, and in this case: the anger and sadness is certainly justified. Seek to understand the people across your partisan lines. You may not, and you certainly don’t have to, agree. However, I believe you will begin to have a softened heart to those you did not believe you could love. Then, begin to lovingly question ignorant comments and educate others as best you're able. 

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"Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed." James 5:6⁣

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"LORD, be gracious to us; we long for you. Be our strength every morning, our salvation in time of distress." Isaiah 33:2⁣

"But he was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the punishment that made us whole, and by his bruises we are healed." Isaiah 53:4-6⁣

We are no longer silent. #thanksjesus